Revenge of the Meteor Freaks
by Lara-Van
Summary: All of the season one meteor freaks get together. Why? Revenge, of course! What happens when they crash the Spring Formal?
1. Murder Club

N/A: So I know that as boring as the freak-of-the-week stories were getting by the end of season three, now, in season seven, we're kind of missing the meteor freak storylines. So I'm giving us a nice little season one three-shot. Set in the final episode of Season 1 (Tempest) during the spring formal. I've made some pretty radical changes to the plotline.

First off, Lana and Whitney go to the dance together, and Whitney **hasn't** enlisted. Second, Clark has already discovered all of his powers (except the power of flight, naturally), and knows more about Krypton and his origins than he did originally. Third, the meteor freaks such as Jodi Foster who didn't really have a lot of choice have MUCH more control over their (extended) powers. And then things get hairy...

As always, please leave reviews, tell me what you think. Chapter Two will be coming soon.

* * *

Jeremy Creek picked up the cord for his toaster. Absentmindedly, he reached to plug it in, still absorbed in his newspaper. Focused on the latest foibles of Smallville's mayor, he stuck his finger into the outlet instead of the plug.

"Aaaaggghhh!" he screamed, as the electricity shot through his system. He crumpled to the floor in a twitching heap.

Several minutes later, a much younger-looking Jeremy stood up. Memories from earlier in the year flooded his mind, and power flooded his veins. He clutched at his head. No! No, he had left all this behind!

But it was too late. The memories he had lost returned in a rush. He had been doing the right thing- he had been helping people! But Clark Kent- Clark Kent!- had stopped him, had hurt him! It was time to continue his crusade, Jeremy decided. An angry smile crossed his face...

* * *

In a small tree fort just outside of Smallville, two beetles crept across the floor toward each other. Meeting, they brushed antennae, and suddenly morphed together into a much, much larger beetle. A third beetle joined them, and another and another...

The insect swelled in size, growing larger and larger, changing shape as it rose up. After several minutes, a young man stood naked in the tree fort. He looked perfectly normal, a handsome young man, until you looked into his eyes. These were deep black all across, and faceted like a bees.

He found an old bomber jacket in the corner of the fort and put it on. It had taken him far too long to pull himself together, almost six months. He sat down on a web-covered bed and mused. His thoughts were still muzzy, but one thing was rapidly becoming clear.

Clark Kent had done this to him. If Clark hadn't interrupted his chance at Lana, hadn't chased him into the quarry, he would never have been divided in the first place. This was Clark Kent's fault. Clark Kent would have to pay...

* * *

Tina sat silently on the cot in her cell. It was almost meal time. Very soon, the little orderly with the food cart would come in and offer her some disgusting slop.

She didn't deserve this! Tina had only wanted to help her and her mother have a better life. But her mother hadn't seen it that way, and had gotten herself killed in a tumble down the stairs. And then Lana- Lana! her best friend!- had rejected her. She had abandoned her when Tina had needed her most, and for that she had **deserved** to be punished.

And so did Clark Kent, for getting her stuck in this asylum, for rescuing Lana when she didn't deserve it. Clark Kent should pay for what he had done to her. But she couldn't do anything from within this cell.

Lucky for her, Tina mused, her powers had expanded rapidly after her incarceration. She wasn't sure how it had happened, but it was certainly useful. She had waited, built up her strength, her patience waning daily. Now, today, it was time, time to break free. Tina shifted easily, through great practice taking the shape she knew would raise the least suspicion...

The young orderly pushed the door open, and dropped the tray she carried in shock. The inmate was gone! She rushed over to the bolted-down cot, hoping against hope that perhaps Miss Greer was simply hiding beneath it.

Suddenly, one of the pillows on the bed leapt upward and morphed into the girl. Before the orderly could react, Tina had struck her across the face hard enough to knock her unconscious. Slipping the orderly's key card out of her pocket, Tina stole out of the cell, through the asylum, and slipped away into the night...

* * *

Deep under Lex Luthor's mansion, a block of ice lay in a dank room at the foundations of the buildings. Through the clear ice, a young man's face could be seen, frozen in a silent scream.

The temperature of the ice dropped rapidly. It was approaching absolute zero. Very soon it became so brittle that even the boy's slow heartbeat cracked it.

The ice shattered. Sean Kelvin stood up shakily. He was free... finally. And... he was warm. How had this happened? He wasn't supposed to be warm. Could he possibly be cured? He reached out and touched the cold stone of the wall beside him. It iced over.

Sean smiled wryly. Perhaps a cure had been too much to hope for. But now he wasn't cold anymore. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. He owed Clark Kent... Owed him the months of frozen torture he himself had been forced to endure.

Sean grinned wildly. "Revenge is a dish best served **cold**," he murmured to himself, and laughed.

* * *

Jodi Foster shook in terror. No! No! They said they'd cured her! But the expansion of her jaw was all too real. She was hungry... hungry... HUNGRY!!

Leaning over the nurse who'd come to check her IV bag, she drained her of all the fat in her body. Jodi stood up and smiled. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. After all, if they couldn't fix her, she might as well get used to this.

She caught sight of her reflection in a mirror on the wall above her hospital bed. She was slim and beautiful, and looked **just** like her mother. Well, vampires were supposed to be beautiful, weren't they. And that was more or less what she was now.

And then a moment of fury came rushing back as she remembered the last time she'd looked in a mirror. She could have ended this all! She could have stopped all of this!

She had hurt Pete, man she loved! And for that she deserved to burn! And she had **tried** to end it! She'd tried so hard, but someone had stopped it. Who had it been? Who had been with her that night when she had blown up her father's greenhouse?

Her face twisted in rage as she suddenly remembered. It had been Clark Kent. He had been kind to her, but nobody was kind. Not to fatties. Not to freaks. Clark Kent had been lying; it was inexcusable. It deserved the worst punishment she could inflict. And inflict it she would. Dressed only in a hospital gown, Jodi Foster strode out of the hospital, ignoring the cries of the nurses behind her...

* * *

Jeff touched the bandages on his scalp. The wound there still hadn't healed, despite the two months that had passed since it had been inflicted.

His mother changed his bandages regularly, and fussed over him. But he couldn't trust her with what had happened since The Incident. He couldn't trust **anyone** but Amy, and she was away at the special school she'd been sent to to help her deal with her obsession with Lex.

He suspected that when his head had been cut open, some of the oils he had used to create his invisibility had gotten into his blood stream.

It was a funny thing, he thought, looking at the tracking bracelet on his ankle. There was nothing to stop him from slipping out of this thing like nothing.

In fact, he decided, he ought to. He closed his eyes and disappeared. Even as he became invisible, his molecules exploded outward from each other, dissipating and reforming across the room. Walking back to where the tracking bracelet was, he scoffed and picked it up. Something like this couldn't trace **him**.

It was all Clark Kent's fault, he thought bitterly. Clark had stopped him from taking his revenge on Lex. Didn't he understand how Lex had treated Amy? Didn't he see that Lex needed to be punished? Well, now it wasn't Lex who should be punished- it was Clark. Clark would be punished.

Jeff Palmer tossed the tracking bracelet out the window, became once more intangible, and drifted in a hazy cloud out the window and into the night.

Sasha shivered. She had been released from the hospital six days ago. Her second degree burns on her legs had finally healed. The moment her parents had left her alone, she had run away.

She didn't want to see them, see their disappointed faces anymore. They had had such high expectations, but now she had failed. Her failed run at school presidency was the last straw. She was a terrible daughter. She had run to the only place she had left.

A tear trickled down her cheek. She had no friends, her family hated her. And because of Clark Kent, even the bees had left her. It was all **his** fault! It wasn't fair! She wasn't a bad person!

But now she was here, shivering at the bottom of Saunders Gorge- the place where it had all changed. Her life had improved here, but then Clark Kent had crashed into her life, and had ripped all of the good things away from her!

He had to be punished, he had to die as she was dead inside! But how? She had lost her power.

A green glint out of the corner of her eye attracted her attention. It was a meteor rock. She smiled. Rocks didn't abandon you.

Sasha Woodman cried for hours as the loss of everything washed over her. Finally she fell asleep from exhaustion, right there in the dripping cave at the bottom of the gorge.

When she awoke, something had changed. There was a familiar buzzing in the back of her head. Could it possibly be? She looked at the meteor in her hand. What had changed?

Hesitantly, she reached out in her mind. A few minutes later, ten or so bees landed on the rock in front of her. They shifted to spell out the word "Hi" in tiny letters. Sasha smiled. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Clark Kent would pay...

Justin Gaines glared through the rain at the Kent farm. He had been sitting here for days, just watching. Always watching. The cops were still looking for him, he was sure, but they wouldn't find him. Or if they did, he could take care of them the same way he had with that stupid Principal Kwan.

Clark Kent had destroyed his life. He had stolen the woman of his dreams. He had destroyed his life, and ruined his enjoyment of his failed revenge.

He would kill Clark Kent. He had to. There was nothing left for him.

Eric Summers sighed. He didn't want to go home yet. He had just recently been released from the asylum, and going home was worse than being there had ever been.

He wanted Clark Kent's power. He had to get it back. HAD to. But to do that, he'd need help. He'd done some research after leaving the asylum, and discovered that there were others whose lives had been destroyed by the damn farmboy.

Suddenly, he caught sight of a familiar face. It was Greg Arkin! That bugboy the school paper had talked about! "Hey Greg!" Eric called.

Three days later, nine teenagers were sitting around a table in the Talon. It was almost closing time and the place was empty but for themselves. Even the girl running the latte machine was marathon-texting and paid them no mind.

One by one, the group introduced themselves. Finally, Eric Summers stood up. "Nice to see you all here. You each have something special to offer to this group. We all know that we hate Clark Kent. Do you all want to see him dead?"

There was scattered nodding among the group. "Well, if you help me get his powers for myself, I can guarantee that you'll be able to see it happen." Jodi Foster nodded. "Then we will help you."

Nine teens rose up. They left the Talon without paying, and strode into the night. As they passed under a streetlight, Eric Summers said idly, "I have a plan..."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. The Death of Clark Kent

Clark Kent paced back and forth in the kitchen. He hated the tuxedo his mother had rented for him, he hated dancing... but it was for Chloe. Chloe really was wonderful, he thought. She was funny and smart and great to be around. He wondered again why he'd spent so much time pining for Lana. Chloe was more... more _Chloe_... than Lana could ever hope to be.

But this date could make or break it all. If his relationship with Chloe was going to work out, it all hinged on this dance... And he didn't want to think about what would happen if it _didn't_ work out.

"Clark, honey, if you keep pacing like that you'll bring the whole house down!" Martha Kent warned her son.

"But... there's so much that could go wrong! I mean... with my powers and everything. I've developed so many in the last few weeks..."

"Relax. Your powers are completely under control and you know it. I think this is a case of misplaced anxiety." Martha gave him a knowing look. "You and Chloe have been friends for years, this date isn't going to change that. People can be in a relationship _and_ still be friends too, you know." Clark looked at her, confused. "I suppose it doesn't seem like that from your point of view, but that's usually how the best couples start out. As friends."

Clark smiled. His mother always knew just the right thing to say.

Suddenly, Chloe's car horn sounded in the driveway. Clark glanced at his reflection in the microwave door, straightened his tie compulsively, and rushed out the door, pausing only to grab the little plastic box containing Chloe's corsage.

"Hi," Chloe said softly as he walked up to her. There was a moment of awkward silence, and then some awkward compliments were exchanged, followed by _another _awkward silence. Chloe reached for a way to break the tension.

Spying the corsage in his hand, she said, "Is that for me?" Smiling, he opened the box and slipped the ring of pink flowers over her wrist. Chloe smiled up at him. God, he was so tall...

"Oh, and I have yours!" she exclaimed, remembering herself. Pulling the carnation out of her purse, she reached up (and up and up, she thought) to pin it on Clark's lapel. "Oh, did I get you?" she asked, as she felt the pin slip. "Nope," he smiled.

The wind had picked up on the drive to the school, and as they made their way up to the doors of the gymnasium, the sky began to spit rain. Laughing, Chloe used the weather as an excuse to clutch onto Clark's arm.

In the atrium of the school, Pete Ross on the arm of the (much taller) Jessica Fox, accosted them. "Hey, Chloe, would you mind..." He brandished a camera at her. Chloe nodded.

As the pair posed, Clark heard a familiar heartbeat coming toward him. He had listened to it frequently from afar before he realized his feelings for Chloe. Turning around, he saw Lana Lang on the arm of Whitney Fordman ascending the steps into the school.

She was still beautiful- frighteningly so- but he now realized that she was little else. Clark would always think of her fondly, but there was just so little... substance... to her. Not like Chloe.

Lana wore a baby blue dress with a flared tulle skirt and little glittery things all over the bodice. Clark smiled ironically. He _hated_ glitter. Whitney, on the other hand, looked every bit as awkward as Clark did in his tux.

The two smiled at each other. They knew that things had been... strained... between them all year, but that was all in the past now. The death of Whitney's father had changed him. He had matured. Clark too had grown up, and they both silently acknowledged this.

Chloe and Clark linked arms and walked into the gymnasium, followed by Pete and Jessica and Lana and Whitney. Clark heard Chloe catch her breath- the gym had been decorated beautifully, and even he was impressed.

They mingled casually with the other students, but the six of them- Lana and Whitney, Clark and Chloe, Pete and Jessica- stayed mostly together in a group.

Clark excused himself briefly, and shortly after he returned, Remy Zero (band appropriated courtesy of Lex, most likely, he supposed) began the song 'Perfect Memory'. "Oh my god, I love this song!" Chloe gasped. "Would you like to dance?" Clark asked her softly. Chloe took his outstretched hand with barely contained enthusiasm.

Hundreds of couples flooded the dance floor. Clark glanced around at them over Chloe's shoulder. He barely knew half of them. Nearly two thousand students attended Smallville High... There were so few students he recognized. Perhaps next year he should work on getting to know more people...

Suddenly, the song cut to a halt. Chloe looked up in confusion, and Clark glanced toward the stage. What he saw made his blood run cold. Sasha Woodman, surrounded by a cloud of bees, was driving the band out of the room. Eric Summers gleefully took the microphone.

"Okay people, party's over! Sasha came to stand beside him, her hair blowing about wildly, tossed about by the breezes created by the bees that swarmed around her, and an evil light gleamed in her eyes.

For a space of about two heartbeats, there was dead silence in the room. And then all hell broke loose. People screamed. Students raced for the doors, which slammed shut and locked of their own accord, while chaperones attempted to restore calm.

"Now now now people, this isn't a time to panic," Eric cooed into the mike. "We're going to let you all out of here safe and sound... after we have a little fun. After all, that's what you're all here to do isn't it?"

Chloe was fishing around in her purse, until finally she found her small handheld recording device. She switched it on and called up at Eric, "What do you want, Eric?" Eric smiled evilly.

"What do **we** want, I'm assuming you mean. After all, you didn't think I'd come here completely alone, did you?" He pointed each person out as he listed their name. "There's Sasha here, of course. Then there's Justin Gaines. I assume you remember him rather vividly, Miss Sullivan? And then there's my dear friend Sean Kelvin. Jodi Foster... Greg Arkin... Jeremy Creek... Jeff Palmer... Tina Greer... And I guess that's about it. As for what we want... that's simple. Revenge."

"Revenge on who?" Chloe called out. Eric gritted his teeth before continuing, and Clark felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling he knew what was coming.

He was right. "Revenge on who? Well isn't it obvious? You've been researching our kind. Meteor freaks, you call us. Those who the meteors gave unusual powers. Well, we were just minding our own business, quietly using our powers for our benefit, when a certain SOMEONE screwed it up. He came smashing into our existences... messed up all our plans... Well, he's going to pay for that! And who IS that someone, ladies and gentlemen? Who's the reason we're about to inflict some **serious** pain on you all? Why, Clark Kent, of course!"

Chloe gasped. So did a large majority of the people in the room. A spotlight swung around of it's own accord to point directly at Clark. A large space cleared around Clark very quickly. Only four people stayed with arm's reach- Pete, Lana, Whitney, and Chloe.

"We're out for revenge here people. And Clark Kent? He's a good guy. There's nothing that hurts him more than seeing others suffer. That's why he destroyed our lives- because he had some idea that we were **hurting** people. Well, tonight, he's going to see every single one of you suffer!" Eric paused, building up for maximum effect, waiting until the terrified whispering had died down.

"You see, ladies and gentlemen, if it were up to most of my compatriots here, we'd simply be pounding him into the ground. And I agree, it would be tremendously satisfying to smash his face in. But Clark Kent isn't like other people. No no, he's not a meteor freak. He's something else. I'm not quite sure **what** he is, but his powers... Oh people, I've **had** his power, and let me tell you, it's a helluva thrill!"

"Do you mean to say that the source of the incredible powers you displayed earlier in the year was... **Clark**?" Chloe asked, stunned. "Yeah, I think that's **exactly** what I mean, Miss Sullivan," Eric replied.

The bottom had dropped out of Clark's stomach several minutes before. This couldn't be happening, it **couldn't** be happening... He was in freefall. His secret, so carefully guarded for so many years...

His Kryptonian heritage, his powers... All of it blown out in a few seconds by this jerk with a microphone!

But Eric wasn't done yet. "So, Kent! Tell us. You're no meteor freak. I could tell you that. But what are you? What... is the source of your power?" Clark took a deep breath.

"I-- You're wrong, I am a meteor freak..." he tried weakly. Maybe he could still salvage some of this...

"You're **lying**!" Eric said sternly, a saddened look on his face. "Greg? Sean?" Sean Kelvin stepped forward from the recesses of the stage and moved toward a girl who was suddenly held tight in the iron grasp of Greg Arkin. "If Sean Kelvin touches her, she'll die! You know it's true, Kent. And he will, if you don't talk. Come on, spill. What's your secret?"

Clark sighed. He couldn't let the girl die! "I'm... not human," he said finally, calling loudly to be sure Eric would hear. "Twelve years ago, in the Smallville meteor shower, my parents were driving down the road when their truck flipped. They landed in a cornfield, where they found... a spaceship. And inside the ship was a baby... me."

"Now **that's** more like it, Kent!" Eric called. "Now, we're gonna keep you all here just a little longer. I'll give Kent time to say his goodbyes, and then it's time for the hurting to start." Abandoning the microphone, he and the other meteor freaks took up posts guarding each door.

Chloe, Pete, and Lana gathered around Clark. "Is it true?" Lana gasped, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Yes," he sighed. "I know I should have told you all before, but... how could I? If you'd known the truth, you'd have hated me for it."

Then, raising his voice, he called out loudly, "To all of you whose lives were changed by the meteor shower... I'm sorry. Maybe I didn't have any control over it, but... I still feel responsible. I'm terribly sorry for all the pain and loss this town has suffered because of it. I know that there's no way to make up for all of it, no apology in the world can change what happened, but..." he trailed away, at a loss for words.

"Clark..." Lana said, "Do you really think we would blame **you** for what happened?" "Yeah," Chloe piped up. "You were only a baby!" "That's what my parents always say..." Clark said ruefully. "Look, guys, I'm really sorry you're all in this mess because of me--" "God, Kent! Quit apologizing for stuff! It's the Summers kid's fault!" Whitney burst out. Clark looked at him, a stunned expression on his face.

"Stop taking all the blame on yourself and start talking! Since it seems like there's a pretty high chance of death here, I'd kind of like to know... you know... the story! Your story." Whitney and Clark stared daggers at each other.

Clark broke the gaze first, and sighed. "I was born on a planet called Krypton. My father was a scientist. He realized that the planet was going to explode, and he sent me away. He sent me to earth. That's pretty much all I know. I'm the last of my kind. The last of my species..." Clark bit his lip and looked away. He'd never wanted his friends to know about this most shameful part of him.

Suddenly, Chloe threw her arms around him in a hug that could have easily crushed his ribs if he weren't indestructible. "Clark, no matter what planet you're from, you're still our Clark Kent!" she whispered into his chest.

Pete was still staring, dumbstruck. "Aww man, you got superpowers and you never **mentioned** it?" he said finally. "Man, that's lame!" "Sorry, Pete," Clark said. "When I was a kid, my parents... you know how protective they are..." Pete nodded. "I get it. But you heard what Whitney said about apologizing for stuff..." he said warningly.

"Uh... Pete... Those freaks are coming over here..." Jessica Fox piped up. "Do you guys mind if I... uh... get the hell out of here?" "Go," Clark said, nodding. "And... you guys should go too. This is my fault. I don't want anyone else to get hurt." "Are you kidding, Kent?" Whitney said, unbelieving. "Yeah, Clark. We won't leave you," Lana said softly.

They flanked themselves on either side of him, Chloe and Whitney on one side, Pete and Lana on the other. Eric Summers approached them. Sasha, Justin, and a haze that Clark suspected was Jeff Palmer trailing behind him.

"So, Kent... I see you've got your little... posse. And not a meteor freak among them. A sad match for my arsenal of big guns. But then again... I suspect you're a match for them, anyway," Eric sneered. "I've gained **many** powers since they were transferred to you, Eric. Don't be so cocksure. Please... just end this all before somebody gets hurt. I mean... all these people! Let them go. You only want me," Clark pleaded.

"Ah Clarkie, so naïve. I don't care about these people. And they serve a purpose. If you're distracted... playing the hero, keeping them safe... you'll be SO much easier to take down." Tina Greer ambled over. "So what? You guys get to have all the fun? Justin's keeping the doors tight shut. What say we start this thing?" she said, chomping on a piece of gum.

Clark appeared passive, but his mind was racing. These people meant business. And Eric Summers just might, possibly know about the kryptonite... he had to hold them off long enough for everyone to escape. No matter what...

"Lana, Chloe, Pete, Whitney. I need you to leave now. I will **not** risk you getting hurt," he hissed at them. "Oh, so what, you think we're just going to sit by and watch you get kicked around?" Chloe whispered back.

"No, of course not," Pete replied. "He's going to suggest something stupid." "No, not something stupid. I want you to get everybody out of the way. Get them all together. If everyone's close together, there's less chance of one of these guys attacking them... And try to get the doors open somehow."

Pete, Whitney and Lana stepped back, but Chloe hesitated. "I don't want to leave you, Clark," she said uncertainly. He took off his jacket. "I know. But please. I don't want to survive this only to go to your funeral. Please Chloe." She nodded.

And then the freaks attacked. A cloud of bees swirled around his head, stinging and stinging, and though he felt none of it, Clark was distracted long enough for Jeremy Creek to throw a massive bolt of electricity shooting through him.

"Aaaaggghhh!!" He screamed. He hadn't expected this, hadn't expected the pain to come at that. And before he could recover from the shock, Tina Greer and Greg Arkin ran at him from opposite sides. They slammed into him, and a shockwave reverberated through the gymnasium.

Clark was dimly aware of horrified shrieks and gasps coming from one corner of the room where the other people in the room were huddled, but he paid it no mind. All he could focus on were the seven people surrounding him.

Sean Kelvin gripped his arms and he felt a chill. The cold stole through him, making his breath come in ragged gasps... Jodi Foster was gnawing on his ankle, and a huge shock still poured through him where Jeremy grasped his wrist...

With a yell, he pushed outward, and the freaks flew away from him. Slamming into the walls, they stood up slowly, gasping. "Come on!" he called to them. "I don't want to have to do this!" His eyes glowed red. "I could lobotomize every single one of you right now. But I can't do that. That's not how I work! But I could really hurt you guys!"

Clark let go of the heat vision. Threatening them wouldn't work. And then they threw themselves at him. Tina and Greg shoved him to the ground with their increased strength, and Jeff Palmer threw invisible punches at him. Sasha's bees continued to torment him, and picking them off one by one with his heat vision did no good.

He kicked Tina in the stomach and she flew up into the rafters. Morphing into an eagle, she soared down and began to scratch at his face. Her claws- saturated with kryptonite- tore into his cheeks and he felt the blood pouring hot down his chin. Jodi sat heavily on his left arm, pinning it down with a strange weight that didn't look as though it should belong to her. Greg continued kicking him in the side.

Once again, Clark threw them all off. But even before he caught his breath, Jodi was on him, clawing at the places where Tina had ripped his face open. Greg spewed web at him to bind his legs tightly. Clark stumbled and fell to his knees. He used his heat vision to sear the web away, but by the time he regained his feet, Sean had grasped his head from behind, and he could feel his limbs becoming numb, freezing up...

Gathering his strength, he kicked backward, sending Sean spinning away to crash into the refreshment table. And yet even as Sean left off, Sasha's bees zoomed in at him, taking Jodi's lead and attacking the open wounds on his face.

Jeremy threw lightning bolts at him in rapid-fire succession. The electricity and the bees poison streamed through his veins. He groaned softly. An invisible fist caught him in the jaw and landed on his back. He felt a faint twist in his stomach, and then he saw Jeff's arm up to the wrist buried in his stomach. The git had become intangible and thrust his fist in Clark's gut!

Clark landed a blow on the side of his head. Jeff's concentration was broken for just an instant, and he lost his form. His molecules bounded outward, and by the time he reformed, Clark's fist had connected hard with his jaw.

Once again, Greg's web bound most of his body. "Dammit!" he hissed under his breath, and burned it away once again. But now Tina, in the shape of a Bengal tiger, was leaping for him. Using his superbreath, he knocked her away with a single gust.

Jodi Foster came at him from behind and sunk her teeth into his neck. He screamed, and batted her away, just in time to whirl and catch tiger-Tina in the face with his right fist. She shrieked in rage and fell to the floor, morphing quickly into a massive boa constrictor, who wound its way around his legs, squeezing with Tina's considerable strength. Clark felt his head swim.

He ripped the Tina-snake off him, and spun around, ready to face whatever freak came at him next. This time, he was on the offensive. "Fine, you guys want a fight? You've got it!" he screamed, and threw himself at the phantom Jeff. Jeff landed hard on the wood gym floor. His head struck the ground, and he suddenly became visible as he lost consciousness. Whirling, he launched himself at Sasha. He tapped her on the head, and her eyes rolled up as she keeled over.

Suddenly, a horrible, crippling pain ripped through every cell of Clark's body. Kryptonite... but where--?

"I'm sorry to have to use this, Kent," came Eric's voice. Clark whirled, staggering slightly. Eric stood there, holding a shard of green-glowing meteor before him. The other freaks had arrayed themselves behind them, every one of them in a fighter's crouch. "It would have been a tremendous boost to our egos to kill you without this little Achilles Heal of yours, but you're doing FAR too well for me to let it go any farther. Well, children, this is your chance," he said over his shoulder, "Take him out!"

Sean and Jeremy came at him first, and each latched onto his arm. Now, in addition to the kryptonite poisoning, he had ten thousand volts of electricity and enough freezing power to kill a bull elephant coursing through his system. His vision swam slightly. "Pete, Chloe! Get everybody out NOW!" he called weakly.

Justin Gaines telekinetically raised the refreshment table over his head and brought it smashing down so that it cut right between the two freaks hanging onto Clark's arm. It caught him on the head. Justin raised the table again and again, bringing it down on Clark's head repeatedly.

Jodi kicked him in the shins with every ounce of her strength, while Tina and Greg once again rammed into him from opposite direction. Clark saw that the shockwave from their impact had shattered every window in the room. Everyone could still escape...

"Get out! Get out, please!" he called. The onlookers stared in shocked silence. Not one of them moved. "Please! They'll start on you next! I can't take this much longer! Go! Save yourselves!" he screamed.

"Hold his arms," Greg Arkin hissed. "Get him on his back." Eric knelt down and, bringing the kryptonite close to his face, forced Clark backward until he was lying stretched out on the gym floor. Jodi sat on his left leg, while Justin pinned the right one with a section of the bleachers he'd ripped from the wall. Eric took Clark's right arm, and Sean Kelvin took the left, freezing Clark's system once again. Jeremy stood above Clark, shooting lightning into his eyes, blinding him.

Greg leaped. He soared right up to the rafters and seemed almost to hover for a moment, before he crashed down to land on Clark's stomach. The ground beneath them shook, and a massive dent appeared in the gym floor. Clark yelled, and a thin trickle of blood oozed out of his mouth.

Tina looked at Greg, and he nodded. Hefting Clark over his head, Greg spun like a discus thrower and hurled Clark at Tina. Her fist connected with his face, and he spun in a dizzying circle across the room to land halfway between the meteor freaks and the huddle of terrified students in the corner.

"Clark!" Chloe screamed. She rushed across the floor to him, and threw herself down next to his lifeless body. "Clark!" she screamed. Her hands flew across his face, his neck, searching desperately for some sign of life. She found none.

The meteor freaks stood proudly on their side of the gym, simply staring at the man who had destroyed their lives... the man they had brought crashing down. Across the gym, the students of Smallville High stared as Chloe sobbed.

The body of Clark Kent lay in the center of it all...

N/A: Now how's THAT for drama? I promise that there's a to be continued. And I'm not telling you ANYTHING that's going to happen. Not a thing. But I promise it'll be good. Please leave a review, they're always appreciated and really motivate me to keep writing...

Lara


	3. A Spiderman 2 Moment

Chloe knelt next to Clark's body, and her tears made identical black mascara runs down her face. "You killed him!" she screamed at the meteor freaks standing proudly across the gym. She registered gasps of horror from behind her. "You bastards murdered him!" she shrieked at the nine people grinning insanely at her.

"Well yeah. That was our original goal," Eric said. "My only regret is that I didn't get to take back the powers that should be mine. Chloe screamed wordlessly at them, then whipped around to call over her shoulder. "Lana! Pete, Whitney! Help me move his... help me move him!" She struggled with the words; she had nearly said 'his body'. But she wouldn't accept that he was dead. Not yet.

Pete and Whitney hurried over and helped her lift Clark's limp form and carry him back to where the student body of Smallville High was huddled. As they lowered him to the floor and the students and chaperones clustered around, Chloe noticed that the shock wave from Greg and Tina's collision with him had shattered the panes of glass in the gym doors. Everyone could have escaped- Clark's last words had been to scream at them to run- but no one had left.

Lana knelt beside Chloe, hovering over Clark's body. Her delicate hands mimicked Chloe's earlier motions, tracing over his body, searching for his vital signs. "Clark..." Chloe whispered, still shocked by the horror of it all.

"Chloe," Lana said softly, "Chloe, he's still alive. His heart's still beating. But he's not breathing." Hope blossomed in Chloe's heart. There were hisses and groans from across the gym, but Chloe ignored them. "Hey, does anyone know CPR?" Lana yelled.

A short, pretty girl with straight blonde hair and deep brown eyes stepped forward. "I do," she said quietly. Quickly, she knelt down and, covering Clark's lips with her own, she forced air into his still lungs. Chloe felt a faint twinge of jealousy, but dismissed it. If this girl could save Clark's life, she didn't care.

After several breaths, the girl sat up and placed her hands in the center of Clark's chest, pumping forcefully, simultaneously expelling the air and forcing his sluggish heart to keep beating. Chloe vaguely recognized her; she thought her name might be Alicia. After four compressions, she returned to breathing for him. Suddenly, Clark coughed, and began to breath on his own.

"No!" screamed Eric Summers. "No, he **can't **be alive! Sean, finish him off while he's still weak!" Sean Kelvin walked across the gym floor, lazily, as if he had all the time in the world. "Hey, kiddies!" he leered at the students, as closed the gap between them.

Chloe felt a thrill of dread. After all Alicia's efforts to revive Clark, they were going to kill them after all. And then the meteor freaks would move on to the rest of them...

Clark choked, regained his breath, and opened his eyes blearily. "No! No he can't be alive!" he heard Eric's voice say. "Sean, finish him off while he's still weak!"

Clark was disoriented. He wasn't sure what had happened. He didn't seem to be dead. He hurt too much for that. Lana, Chloe, Pete, and another girl he didn't recognize leaned over him. "Clark, are you okay?" Lana whispered. He grunted; that was about all he could manage at the moment. What was wrong with Lana? Of course he wasn't okay.

Firm hands helped him sit up, and he found his breathing easier in a sitting position. "Thanks," he said, turning to face the blond girl. He guessed that she'd been the one to revive him. She nodded. "Alicia Baker," she said, indicating herself. He smiled weakly.

Then he noticed Sean Kelvin crossing the floor to where he was sitting among the other students. "Oh no," he whispered. He couldn't defend everyone in his condition. He was barely alive, he couldn't even sit up unsupported, let alone take the terrifying onslaught of the meteor freaks. "Everyone has to get out..." he began in a hoarse voice.

Suddenly, a beautiful, slender black girl pushed her way through the crush of students huddled against the wall, and strode to meet Sean in the exact center of the floor. He stopped in front of her, and she planted her feet firmly and crossed her arms.

"Move, bitch," he growled at her. He was mad. They had failed to take down Clark Kent the first time, and now this chick was in his way.

"Clark almost died for us once," the girl said, her long, chemically straightened hair swinging slightly as she raised her chin to glare up at him. "And you are **NOT** taking him." Sean chuckled humorlessly. "And who's gonna stop me? You?" he asked. "I told you to move, bitch."

If looks could kill, the death glare the girl was giving Sean Kelvin should have vaporized him. "My **name** is Kendra," she said firmly. "And **hell** yes!" she screamed. Then, raising her hands so that her hands faced directly at Sean's chest, she fired a huge spurt of emerald flame from her palms. "You're not the only meteor freaks in the room," she said.

When her fiery assault on Sean ceased, there was a small puddle on the floor and a huge indentation in his chest where she had melted away part of his body. "Oh, you wanna play?" he yelled, incensed. And suddenly the two were locked in a battle of fire and ice. Kendra was throwing flame from her hands, and Sean was firing spikes of ice from his fingertips. Slowly, Sean was being forced backwards

"Whoa," Pete whispered. "When did he learn to do that?"

As it became obvious that Sean would not win this fight, the other meteor freaks edged forward to help her out. And one by one, other students moved out onto the gym floor behind Kendra. Several Clark recognized, many he didn't. But as a pitched battle ensued, it became obvious that every one of them was a meteor freak.

But the powers of the eight under Eric's command were greater, and Clark could see that the students who had gone to take up his fight would not win. There might be more of them, but Justin Gaines alone was fighting twelve, and Sasha's bees harried every one of them, distracting them and weakening their defenses.

Clark groaned and tried to stand. His strength would recover quickly, if only the kryptonite were gone. Even across the room, from where Eric was standing and clutching it, he could feel it's green haze of agony. But no matter. He had to help... somehow...

"Clark?" Alicia Baker asked shyly from by his side. "That piece of meteor... it hurts you, doesn't it?" He nodded. "It's a little fragment of Krypton- the planet I come from," he explained. "You want me to get rid of it?" Alicia asked. "If you can figure out how," he said, staggering slightly as another wave of pain washed across the gym from the shard in Eric's hand.

"Not a problem," Alicia said. She vanished suddenly, reappearing across the gym just long enough to seize the kryptonite from Eric's grip. Then she disappeared again. The pain was gone, and Clark instantly felt better. About six seconds later, Alicia reappeared at Clark's side. "I can teleport." she said, seemingly to finish her earlier statement.

"Where'd you take it," Chloe asked out of some kind of morbid curiosity. Alicia grinned widely. "China," she said matter-of-factly. "I tossed it in the Yangtze River."

Clark made to join the fight, but Whitney's hand on his arm stopped. "Hey man, that rock might be gone, but you're still weak." "I know, but I have to help. I can't just stand by while..." he trailed away. "Maybe if I could get some sunlight," he mused.

"Not likely," Pete pointed out. "I don't know that you noticed, but there's a tornado across town. The sky's pretty dark." "We can deal with that, too," said a voice from nearby. Clark turned shakily to see three beautiful young women a few grades above him. "We can control the weather." Lana snorted.

Without another word, the three girls climbed up what remained of the bleachers to reach one of the shattered high windows of the gym. Thrusting their arms out the window, they assumed identical focused expressions, and a faint breeze drifted through the gym. And suddenly, just through that window, sunlight streamed. Clark walked haltingly to where the patch of sunlight lay, and stepped into the soft golden glow. "Thank you," he whispered to the girls still sitting atop the bleachers.

His eyes closed as he felt strength and power returning to his body. In one golden rush, he was strong again. His hearing returned to it's usual prowess, and the sounds of the meteor freak battle were suddenly magnified in his ears. People fighting, risking their lives... for him. Well no more. This was his battle. He would fight it.

The electric green eyes of Clark Kent popped open. He saw all that was going on, and studied it for a moment.

Tina Greer was fighting two opponents at once, using her tremendous strength to hold a girl sprouting vines and a young man who seemed to have unnatural strength of his own at bay.

Greg Arkin had outdone her, fighting six at the same time, and from the number of web-encased forms lying scattered around on the floor, he had faced down many more.

Clark spotted his closest friends with their backs to each other, each holding some kind of weapon. Pete had simply picked up a chair, while Chloe and Lana had somehow unearthed golf clubs from the boxes behind the stage the band had occupied earlier. Whitney had a pair of glass shards he must have found beneath some broken window.

Justin Gaines had ripped yet another section of the bleachers away from the wall and had pinned at least thirty students under it, and despite their combined strength, despite their meteor-induced abilities, they were unable to shift it.

Meanhile Sean Kelvin and the girl named Kendra were still at the heart of it all, fighting with ice and fire. However, several frozen bodies lay nearby, indicating that others had attempted to intervene.

Taking instant action, Clark sped to the frozen ones on the floor. Kneeling next to each one, he used his heat vision to create a blanket of searing warmth over them until the ice melted and the revived. When all of Sean's victims had been revived, Clark pointed to where some students not involved in the fight were still standing, stunned. "Go, get to safety," he said to them.

Next, he ripped apart the bonds on the several hundred encased in Greg's cocoons. He gave them the same message, but they were less inclined to leave the battle. "No way in hell are we sitting this out," one of them said fiercely.

Clark sighed, but moved on to where Justin had pinned so many under a large section of the bleachers. He lifted the bleachers easily, freeing the trapped students. "Thanks," a tall boy with unruly hair said. "Man," he said, wiping a trace of blood off his cheek as he surveyed the fight before them, "It's like being inside an X-men comic here." Clark nodded. "Welcome to my life," he said wryly.

And then he was gone, launching himself into battle. He hurtled directly between Tina Greer's opponents to tackle her to the floor. Her head rebounded against the hard wood and she lay still.

In a single bound, Clark cleared the distance to the stage, and ripped the curtain down. In another leap, he had rounded up Tina, Greg, Jeremy, Jodi, Eric, and Sasha and tied them into a tight bundle inside the curtain. It wasn't maybe the most humane solution, but it was effective and probably wouldn't hurt them as much as allowing them to remain in battle.

Jeff had completely disappeared, and Clark's X-ray vision did no good. However, Jeff's location became fairly obvious when a pair of invisible hands seized him from behind. Clark reached up to seize the back of Jeff's collar, and flipped him over his shoulder. On impact with the ground, Jeff instantly became visible. With a sigh, Clark stuffed him inside the bag with the others.

Clark looked around for Justin and Sean. They weren't hard to find. Every person in the room was clustered around Justin, trying to overwhelm him. The exceptions were Clark and Kendra, who was still engaged in a one-on-one fight with Sean. Clark assumed that the rest of the school could handle the telekine for a moment, and went to assist Kendra.

"Need a hand?" he asked. Kendra tossed a smile over her shoulder. Sean was several inches shorter, and appeared to be sweating. It wasn't sweat, however. It was condensation, and meltwater as he dissolved into a puddle. "Nah, I can handle it." A final burst of green fire, and Sean collapsed into water completely. "No!" came a yell from across the room.

"Is he dead?" Kendra asked shakily. "I don't know," Clark asked, equally disturbed. "I thought he was dead once before- he was locked in solid ice for eight months... Who knows?" he said. Kendra smiled weakly at him. "Damn, that really takes it out of you..." she muttered.

Suddenly, there was a terrific groaning of steel girders and concrete. Clark whipped around, and saw Justin Gaines- strained but with a manic glint in his eye- staring straight up at the ceiling. Clark followed his gaze and realized immediately what was happening.

Justin had realized that he was totally alone in this fight now. He saw that he couldn't win. So he was going to completely destroy Clark the only way he knew how- he was going to kill ever other person in the room. He was going to bring the roof down, all in one giant slab.

"Oh my god!" Lana screamed, pointing upward. "We're all gonna die!" screamed one of the three weather girls sitting atop the bleachers. A chorus of shrieks and screams rose from every throat, and terror welled up in Clark's heart and mind. He didn't know how to stop this. He didn't know how to save them...

The final girder supporting the roof snapped, and three tons of steel and cement came crashing down. The students and staff of Smallville High threw themselves to the floor, crouching and covering their heads in a vain attempt to shield themselves from the certain death falling toward them.

But the impact never came. Chloe was the first to look up. "Oh my god..." she whispered. One by one, heads popped up all across the room. Two thousand people looked up at their savior.

Clark Kent hovered twenty feet off the ground, supporting the mass of concrete with both hands. "Are you all okay?" he asked shakily. His expression as stunned. There was scattered nodding across the crowd. Clark took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. They were safe.

He rose slowly, pushing the ceiling up and up and up, until he was clear of the high walls of the gymnasium. There, he dropped the roof off to the side of the school building, where it couldn't cause any more damage. Then he returned to the gym, dropping easily into a sudden empty space in the crowd.

Silence reigned as his feet touched the ground again. Everyone was staring at him. Awkwardly, he cleared his throat. "Um... I guess the secret's out, then. All of our secrets," he said. There was silence. "I... I want to thank all of you. This was my battle. They were here for me. None of you had to step up the way you did, to defend me. I guess I'm glad you did. We'd all be dead, if it weren't for your incredible bravery." Clark faltered. He had no idea what else to say.

Vice Principal Tipton forced her way through the crowd of students into the clear space around Clark. "Mr. Kent, perhaps it's not the best moment to say it, but I think that's a load of bull." A group of guys at the back snorted at her choice of words. "Yes, Kendra Hall and the others demonstrated a great deal of courage, but it was you who saved us all. You finally defeated the... the..." she paused, searching for a word. Finally, she continued diplomatically, "The seriously ill young men and women. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to give everyone else a chance to escape. You... caught the roof."

There was an awkward pause, then Clark stuttered, "Well, it... it was the very least I could do... it was all my fault that they were here, after all..." Tipton held up her hand to silence him. "It was **not** your fault, Mr. Kent. They may have been after you, but that doesn't make it your fault." Everyone nodded decisively.

"And I would just like to add that I know I speak for all of us here, when I say that, if that's what you want, not one of us will ever reveal your secret. From this moment on, this... incident... didn't happen. It was a **tornado** from today's storm that destroyed the gymnasium." Turning to face the rest of the people gathered around, she said loudly, "Is that understood?"

The entire student body of Smallville High nodded almost in unison. "We won't tell anybody, Clark!" called a voice from the back. "Yeah, nobody's hearing it from me!" said someone else.

Again there was silence, and a tense pause. Then suddenly, Pete started clapping. Slowly, others joined him, one by one, until a swell of applause and cheering filled the gym. "Clark! Clark! Clark!" Pete yelled, and several voices joined his.

Clark raised his hands for silence, completely overwhelmed. "Please," he said as the cheers died away. "I don't deserve this... I don't need your thanks. I haven't done anything someone else wouldn't do in my place. I... Thank you all for keeping my secret. You have no idea how grateful I am for that. But there really was a tornado outside town today. I should probably go see if everyone's alright. And I need to check on my parents."

He turned to vice principal Tipton, wanting to thank her, but she waved him away. "Go. Find your parents, help the rest of the town," she said. Clark nodded, and with a last glance at his four closest friends, he launched himself up, up, and away.

As he soared through the sky, Clark felt a sigh of relief. He knew now that he **could** fly. But he'd been terrified that it wouldn't work this time, that he'd look like a moron, jumping around in front of the entire school... Then he shook his head. Stupid thing to worry about, when the entire school knew he was an alien. _The entire school knew he was an alien_... Oh god, this was going to create an entirely new level of weirdness at Smallville High...

A Note from Lara: Okay, I know I said that this was a three-shot. Well, guess what, I lied. Not exactly **lied** I guess. More that I had thought a three-shot would be enough to tell this story. I changed my mind. Stay alert for the bonus fourth chapter, coming soon... Also the sequel I'm planning for this story...


	4. Meeting Lois

Several hours later, the Kent family was sitting in their living room.

"What do you mean 'Everyone found out'?" Jonathan Kent asked, disbelieving. After Clark had pulled him (along with the crushed body of some reporter) from kryptonite-laced death in a catacomb, he had been forced to sit down with his parents and have one of these 'nice family chats'.

Clark knew that his parents loved him, that they were only worried for his safety, but... he could take care of himself. Their hovering concern was somewhat... suffocating.

"I mean, Eric Summers and a bunch of other meteor freaks ambushed me at the Spring Formal. They locked the doors so nobody could get out. They forced me to reveal the truth about myself- about Krypton and everything. And then... they attacked me. I guess they wanted revenge for putting them in asylums and stuff." Clark sighed. After everything that had happened, it was hard to put it into words in a way someone who hadn't been there would understand.

"I fought them. I was trying to give everyone a chance to escape, to find a way out. Tina Greer and Greg Arkin ran into me hard enough to make a shockwave that shattered the windows. I tried to convince everyone to run, but they wouldn't. I still don't know why. Eric had kryptonite, and they beat me so badly I actually got knocked out." Martha Kent gasped, and Jonathan moved forward. "Are you alright, Clark?" Clark nodded hastily, and rushed on.

"According to Chloe, I stopped breathing. But they revived me, did CPR or something. Then the meteor freaks were coming after me again. I guess they really wanted me dead. And I think they would have succeeded, except..." Clark trailed away. He wasn't sure if he should reveal Kendra's secret. She didn't seem like she'd mind as much as Clark did. And her bravery should be recognized.

"Except what, Clark?" Martha asked. "There was a girl, Kendra Hall. The people there to kill me had sent Sean Kelvin to be the one to kill me off, and Kendra faced him down. She walked out there, all alone..." Clark heard Martha's breath catch. She knew the horrifying reality of Sean Kelvin's terrible power.

"Kendra was a meteor freak. Turns out there's a lot more of them than we'd ever have thought. She fought Sean, and then every meteor-powered person in the school was coming out of the closet to fight the bad guys." Clark smiled at his use of such a simplistic, childish term for Eric and his posse.

"There was a girl who could teleport herself. She got rid of the kryptonite. I think she said that she took it to China. And then I recovered enough to get back into the fight. We were able to round up all of them except for Justin Gaines. When he realized that he was the only one still standing, when he realized it was hopeless..." Clark shuddered. The moment he had understood Justin's suicidal rage, the focus of his intent, Clark had felt a kind of terror he hoped he'd never have to experience again.

He took several steadying breaths, trying to bring himself back to the present. He hadn't known anyone could be that desperate or that evil. "Justin tried to bring the entire ceiling down. He was going to kill himself and everyone there." Martha gasped, and Jonathan's hand tightened on Clark's shoulder.

"Everyone's okay, right?" Martha asked. "Yeah," Clark said. "I... caught it. I caught the roof. And then I... flew it away from the building." Jonathan's brow furrowed. "Run that by me again one more time, Clark," he said, shock on his face. "I can fly," Clark said simply. His mother's mouth dropped open.

"Anyway, once I got back from setting the roof of the gym down, everybody promised that they wouldn't tell anyone... about me, I mean. The official story is that there was another tornado, and it was **that** that destroyed the gym."

Jonathan nodded. "And do you think everybody will actually keep that promise, Clark?" After a moment, Clark smiled quietly. "You know, I do. Hard as it is to believe, I think I can trust everyone who was there today. I mean, they risked their lives to defend me while I was unconscious." Skeptical though he was, Jonathan accepted that for the time being.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Pete and Chloe stood outside. "Hello? Is anybody home?" And without another thought, they walked through the door.

"Hi Chloe, Pete," Martha said, standing up. "Are you two alright?" Pete nodded. "Can't really say the same for the school, though," Chloe piped up. "Thanks to those three weather girls, it looks like a tornado really did hit the area. But the rest of the town is pretty much intact." "That's what Clark said," Martha pointed out, gesturing to her son. "Well, can I get you two something to drink?"

"Oh, no Mrs. Kent," Pete said. "Actually, since the storm's passed on and the damage isn't too bad, we were actually wondering... Well, me and Chloe and a couple of people were thinking about having a little get-together later this evening. You know, since the spring formal was such a bomb and all." Clark chuckled. "Understatement of the year," he said under his breath.

"We wondered if Clark could come," Chloe said. "Well..." Martha hesitated, looking at her husband. "You know, since he's kind of... the guest of honor," Chloe hurried to add. Jonathan shrugged. "Sounds okay to me. Listen, you two... I know we can trust you guys, of course. But what do you think... Will everyone else keep Clark's secret?"

Pete and Chloe looked at each other. "I think the way the general sentiment was running after Clark 'took off'," Pete said, with an ironic smile, "You'll be really lucky if you don't have about two thousand people worshipping the ground he worships on, ready to do anything he asks, including keep the whole thing a total secret." Chloe nodded, grinning with mirth. "Seeing someone lift three tons of cement over their head like it's nothing and then flying away with it tends to do that to people."

Clark stared at them, shocked by the casual way they were dealing with the revelation of his superpowers. "You guys aren't... freaked out by this?" he asked. "Well, I've always kind of thought there was something... off... about you," Chloe said. "Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically. "And compared to realizing that most of the school has superpowers of some kind finding out my best friend being an alien isn't so huge," Pete added.

"Well, Clark, you coming?" Chloe asked. He glanced at his parents, who nodded. He rose, picked up his jacket (having long since changed out of his severely battered tuxedo), and followed his two best friends out the door. Jonathan and Martha Kent looked at each other. Martha shrugged, and Jonathan pulled her into a hug. "I guess our little boy's growing up," he whispered into her hair.

Pete drove, insisting that his shiny blue convertible would make a better entrance than Clark's truck. Chloe rode proudly in the front seat beside him, and Clark sat alone in the back. He sighed. Was this the way it would be from now on? Would he always be slightly separate from everyone else? Different... revered, perhaps, but still unapproachable and unique?

He had a very long ride to contemplate the horrifying possibility. Pete drove far out of Smallville, into the rolling hills that surrounded the little farming town. When they reached one of the last remaining patch of old growth forest left in the area, Pete stopped. There were several dozen cars parked in the same area.

"Uh... Pete? There's a lot of people here," Clark said, nervous. "Yeah, it's okay. They were all at the dance this afternoon." "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Clark muttered.

Pete and Chloe dragged him out of the car, and lead him into the trees. The massive, widespread trees- oaks, mostly, dimmed the light until it was dark as night beneath the branches. "Man, by the time it actually gets dark, this place is gonna be **wicked**," Pete said with conviction. In the distance, they could see the glow of a fire.

After several minutes of walking, they reached a clearing, in the center of which someone had built a massive bonfire. About fifty people were milling around, some dancing to the music blaring from the massive stereo set up on one side of the fire.

As Clark emerged into the firelight, flanked by Pete and Chloe, someone screamed, "There he is," and the clearing erupted in cheers. Clark waved awkwardly. "Pete, help me out here," he muttered out the side of his mouth.

Pete stepped forward, putting up his hands to calm the crowd. "Hey, hey people. Get it all out now. There's going to be people here later who aren't in on the big secret. Now, tomorrow we're all going to be out on the highway clearing up dead branches or whatever from the storm, so tonight let's celebrate. And that means all of us. Don't mob poor Clark here. He's still the same guy he's always been- a guy who really doesn't appreciate the spotlight. And since this party's supposed to be to thank him for saving all our butts today, I suggest we leave him alone to do his brooding thing." There was some laughter from the people who had encountered Clark's 'serious face'.

At first, people didn't heed Pete's advice. Clark was overwhelmed by the number of people (and more entered the clearing every minute) who seemed to want to hear his life's story. After several pained explanations that it wasn't really something he wanted to talk about, he finally caved. "Okay!" he yelled across the crowd. "Anyone who wants to know why I'm on this planet, come over here! I'm only telling this story once!"

The entire crowd- every last one of them- gathered around him in a tight cluster. "Okay," he began awkwardly. "I was born Kal-El of the planet Krypton. Apparently I was the heir to some noble lineage. The House of El. Apparently a name recognized across the galaxy, if what I've learned is anything to go by. My father, Jor-El, was a scientist and politician on Krypton. He had been doing some kind of experiment, and... I don't know how he figured it out, but..."

Clark hesitated. This was difficult to think about, let alone talk about, with total strangers. "There was a war going on. I don't really know many details about it, but somehow the core became unstable. There was no way to keep the planet from exploding. So my parents, Jor-El and Lara, did the only thing they could. They sent me here, to earth. I was just a baby, a few weeks old."

There were stifled gasps in the crowd, as people understood the sacrifice that Clark's parents had made. "The planet exploded just after I escaped. I'm the only survivor of my species. The meteors that landed here in Smallville... it's my theory that they were little fragments of Krypton that drifted through space with my ship. They're poison to me. I'm really not sure why, just like I'm not sure why I don't have these powers. I think they're solar induced, but... who knows?"

Everyone was staring at him. "And that's pretty much it. My parents- the Kents- found me during the meteor shower. They couldn't have children of their own, so they adopted me." He shrugged. "That's all I know. Everything else is a mystery. I keep hoping that maybe someone else survived, that maybe there's even one other Kryptonian out there somewhere, but it's looking pretty unlikely."

"Oh, Clark," whispered Alicia Baker. "That is **so** sad." There was dead silence in the clearing. Then from somewhere in the back of the crowd, Lana said softly, "Yes, it is. But it's more than that. His parents gave him to us... gave us a truly amazing person. Let's face it, earth needs someone like Clark. Thank god he's here."

Everyone turned to look at Lana, and Clark sighed with relief as the burning gaze of the crowd left him. There were nods and cheers in response to Lana's comment.

Clark sat down on a massive log on the edge of the clear. "Oh... I hope I never have to tell my life's story **ever** again." he groaned, as Chloe sat down next to him.

"Yeah. That's pretty intense, Clark. Or should I call you Kal-El now?" she asked. He made a face. "Don't. Only Jor-El calls me that." Chloe looked at him strangely. "Jor-El? Your father? But I thought he was--" "He is. But he talks to me somehow through my spaceship. Some kind of advanced technology, I guess." Clark sighed. Jor-El was frustrating, with all his talk of destiny.

Chloe was silent for a moment. "By the way, Clark, remind me to introduce you to my cousin. Her dad's a general and he just got transferred to Fort Ryan. She's in town for the weekend, and I promised her this afternoon that I'd show her a good time in Smallville. Actually," she said, checking her watch, "She should be here any minute." Clark nodded absently. His mind was still on Jor-El and the future.

After awhile, Chloe said, "I can tell something's on your mind. Want to talk about it?" Clark looked at her for a moment, then forced a smile.

"This whole mess today... it's made me realize that there are so many people out there in the world that just want what they want, and will do anything to get it. They may not all be meteor freaks like today, but I could stop it. I could save so many people from hurt and suffering... I could protect so many people..." He trailed away.

"But?" Chloe said, sensing a hesitation. "But... I'm scared. Everyone's reacted pretty positively to me today, but a lot of these people have powers of their own, and..." "And you're worried about how the rest of the world would react." Chloe finished for him.

"I want to go out into the world and do all the good I can, but... I could make enemies that way. What happens to you, to my parents, to Pete? They may not be able to hurt me, but everyone I'm close to... I've seen today that the world really needs me, and Lana's thoughts on my life only reinforce that. But how do I do it without putting the people closest to me in danger? And how do I have a normal life?"

Chloe sighed. She didn't know the answers to the questions he was asking her. And she was beginning to realize that, though she loved Clark still, her affections for him were more brotherly than anything.

"I don't know, Clark. But I'll think on it, okay? If I come up with any answers to the hard questions, I'll let you know," she said, and meant it. Clark could change the world in a huge way. He was so powerful... the way his life went could influence the history of the entire planet. She would help in any way she could, both for the world's sake and for his. No matter the revelation she'd had today, Clark Kent would always be her friend.

She stood up silently and wandered away to speak to Alicia Baker. She found that she rather liked the shy girl.

Clark sat in silence for a few minutes, pondering all the things going around and around in his head. Finally, with a half-hearted laugh, he stood up and went to join the party. The world could wait a few more hours. For now, he'd try and have a little fun.

Kendra Hall and a group of her friends managed to talk him into dancing for awhile, laughing when he proved to be a terrible dancer. "You know, you'd think that, being who you are, you'd do better at this," she said. "Oh, and Sean Kelvin's okay," she added as an afterthought. "He froze right back up after you left." Clark nodded absently. Chloe was beckoning him over. "Um... I'll see you guys around," he said to Kendra and her friends.

Chloe grabbed his elbow as he reached her. "Come on, Clark. I want you to meet my cousin," she said, still laughing from something Pete had said before Clark reached them. She dragged him across the clearing.

As they approached their destination, a tall brunette with strands of honey gold that glinted in the firelight stood and moved toward them. Clark thought she was beautiful. Maybe not in the same way that Lana was beautiful, but there was a subtle grace to her that he admired.

"Clark, meet my cousin, Lois Lane," Chloe said happily. "Lois, my friend Clark Kent." Lois looked him over with intense amber eyes. "Plaid, huh?" was all she said. Clark smiled awkwardly, unsure how to reply. "This is the guy you've spent the last three years talking about nonstop?" Lois asked of Chloe.

"And what's wrong with me?" Clark snapped, before Chloe could reply. The nerve of this girl, insulting him before she could even say three civil words to him!

"Well, I'll give it to Chloe, she was right when she said you were pretty easy on the eyes, but... but **plaid**!" Lois said, as though that explained everything. "Not to mention, you live in Smallville. That automatically puts you on my blacklist. You've got grass stains all over your jeans." "Well, I live on a farm, it comes with the territory!" Clark protested, feeling his stomach flip in a way he'd never felt before.

"Farm boy, huh?" Lois snorted. "I'd bet you're a teacher's pet, too." "I don't know about that," Clark hedged. "Are you kidding?" Chloe said. "There isn't an adult who hasn't loved you on sight!" "People like me, so what?" Clark said defensively. "Ooh, somebody give the Eagle Scout a cookie! He can charm the pants off teachers!" Lois said sarcastically.

"Oh, and I suppose you pride yourself on being able to get on the nerves of everyone you meet within sixty seconds?" Clark said coolly. Lois raised an eyebrow and smiled crookedly. "Thirty," she said cheekily. Clark gave her a relaxed grin. "Well, then, I've still got ten seconds before you lose your thirty-second personal record. Eight... seven... six..."

"Whatever, Smallville." she said dismissively to him. "Come on, cuz. Let's go talk to someone more interesting." She walked away, leaving Chloe to say in a slightly strained voice, "Sorry about her. She's just... like that. Big city girl, and all that. You know, I've always thought the two of you would get along really well together. Guess I was wrong." "I... it's okay," Clark said quietly. "All day people have been treating me like I deserve some kind of worship. Lois is... a refreshing change." "Oi! Chloe!" Lois called from where she was talking to Pete. Chloe looked apologetically at Clark, and walked away.

Clark walked over to the log he'd been sitting on earlier. His conversation with Lois Lane, brief though it had been, had left him reeling. It was true what he'd said to Chloe. Lois wasn't quite like any other girl he'd ever met. The way she'd stood there, arms crossed, a cocky grin on her face, had intrigued him.

Dropping down to sit on the log, Clark pictured her eyes sparkling as she teased him, and his heart turned over. What was wrong with him? The girl was annoying as hell and incredibly frustrating! Why was he reacting like this to exactly twenty six seconds of conversation with her? He sighed, and allowed his thoughts to drift. But the currents of his mind continued to bring him back to Lois.

After several minutes, he was aware that he wasn't alone on his log anymore. "Who--? Lois!" he said, looking to his left. "What are you doing here?" Lois frowned sourly. "Move over Smallville," she said, giving him a nudge and indicating that he make room for her on the log. "I'm attempting to get away from Barrbie's twin sister," she muttered, when she was seated. "Who?" Clark asked. Lois gestured to where Lana and Whitney were sitting, across the clearing.

"Lana?" he asked. "Yeah. I guess she thinks that since we've both got roots in Metropolis, we should be best buds now," Lois sighed. "Lana's a good friend of mine," he said warningly.

"The pink princess is your **friend**?" Lois asked incredulously. "What?" Clark said. "You don't think it's possible for me to be friends with a pretty girl? And besides, she doesn't **always** wear pink. She wears blue sometimes," he said. Lois raised an eyebrow, remaining silent for once. After a pause, Clark caved. "But you're right. I could definitely go the rest of my life without seeing the color pink again." Lois laughed, and a shiver ran down Clark's spine at the sound. "I hear you! I just... **hate**... pink," she said, completely oblivious to Clark's reaction.

"Admit it, Smallville," Lois plunged on. "You've got it bad for Barbie, don't you?" Clark sighed. "I used to," he said quietly. Lois looked at him. "Well **that's** cryptic," she said, annoyed. "Don't you country types ever just come out and say what you mean?" "Maybe. Do you city types ever shut up and stop asking questions?" Clark smiled to take the sting out of the words.

Lois groaned. "Dammit. I finally find someone worth annoying the hell out of and he actually turns out to be decent with words," she said. "It's all the small-town politics. You have to be really good with words to be able to say what you want to say without offending half your neighbors. Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be able to keep up with my tactful prowess in... oh... five years," Clark said, grinning wickedly. "Are you kidding? I've got no intention of sticking around that long!" Lois said, playful mock-horror on her face.

"Really?" Clark said, pressing his advantage. "I thought you had to stay until your father left Fort Ryan." "Or until I graduate from high school, whichever comes first," she said. "Prepare for a school year from hell, Smallville. I know that I for one need to prepare for the horror of going to the same school as you." She grinned at him.

"Of course, I'm guessing you've already resigned yourself to another year of misery," she said. Clark raised his eyebrows. "And what makes you say that?" he asked, smiling slightly. "Well, according to Chloe, this whole deal--" She gestured around the clearing. "--Was for you, yet you're sitting here..." She pointed to the log. "...Alone... and no one has come over here to say hi. That just screams 'geek' to me."

"Oh really. You've got me pegged so easily?" he said teasingly. "I'm good at character assessment," she said with a cheeky smile. "How do you know you're not wrong?" he asked. "Oh, you'll learn, Smallville. I'm **always** right." And with that, she leaped up from the log, and walked away with a quick stride.

Clark's head was reeling again. What the hell? This girl was stuck-up, she was rude, from the looks of things she was bossy as well. He should despise her. He should be furious with her. And on a superficial level, he was. But beneath the frustration was something else. He'd never felt quite this way about anyone else. All her sarcasm, her cavalier attitude, her gruffness was incredibly endearing to him.

He tried to pry his mind away from the enigma of Lois Lane, but it was impossible. So he settled for staring into the flames and losing himself in replaying every second of their brief conversations.

"Hey! Earth to Clark!" Pete's voice sounded from right next to him. "Huh?" he gasped, sitting up very straight. "Oh, Pete. What's up?" Clark stood up.

"Hey man, I just wanted to ask you..." Pete paused. "I was wondering, what exactly's going on with you and Chloe?" "Honestly?" Clark said. "Honestly, I think I'd rather stay friends. She means a lot to me, and I love her like a sister, but..." Clark was unsure when his eyes had drifted to Lois. Quickly he tried to refocus on Pete's face, but Pete had seen where his gaze went.

"You got the hots for the cousin?" he said, incredulously. "Man, I met Lois a few weeks ago... are you **really** sure you want to go there?" he asked. "I mean, she's hot and everything, but she's got a razor blade for a tongue, man. She's really..." Pete seemed to search for the right word. "Intense?" Clark suggested. "Yeah," Pete said, relieved that Clark knew what he meant. "Well, anyway, I'd better go. Just... consider yourself warned."

Clark watched with amusement as Pete tapped Chloe on the shoulder. He began to speak, and talked for a few seconds, before suddenly, Chloe threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Clark grinned. He'd always thought his two closest friends would make a cute pair.

A few hours later, Clark hadn't seen either of them for nearly a half an hour, so he walked over to where Lana was leaning up against Whitney. "Listen, if you two see Chloe and Pete, let them know I went on home without them. Assure them that I definitely **didn't** take the car," he said. Lana smiled, knowing what he meant. "Sure, Clark. We'll do that."

Clark strode a few paces into the forest. When he was sure he was well out of sight of the clearing, he stretched his arms skyward, and with a quick leap, hurled himself skyward. For a few minutes, he enjoyed the rushing speed of the flight. It was a great deal of fun. But soon, the image of a certain brunette woman invaded his brain. His headlong flight slowed, and he drifted gently on the winds, with only a general idea of where he was going.

Twenty minutes later, he landed on the front porch. He opened the window, and walked through the living room in the direction of his bedroom.

"Hi, Clark. Did you have a good time?" his mom asked. "Yeah. I explained about Krypton exploding to a couple people. Pete and Chloe are together now, I guess. And then Chloe introduced me to her cousin. Lois." Martha Kent knew her son far too well to miss the faint note of reverence in his voice when he spoke Lois's name.

"And did you like her?" Martha asked suspiciously. Clark nodded. "She's... very unique. It's very confusing. I should probably hate her, but she's just about impossible to dislike." And with that, he rose off the floor and drifted up the stairs to his bedroom.

Drifting down onto his bed, he stared up at the ceiling. A scattering of glow-in-the-dark stars crossed the ceiling above him, giving him the pleasant feeling of being outdoors. He smiled. Lois was staying at least until fall, according to Chloe. That was good... He fell asleep, still grinning.

A Note from Lara: Okay, yeah, I know that was kind of random, but there is a sequel story to this one. I haven't finished writing the first chapter yet, but if you want to read it in the future, the title will be 'Everybody Knows'.


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